Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1887-07-01
OLD AND HOMELESS.

Albert Richardson's Slayer In the Sta
1 House-Story Ola Great Crime.
New York, june 29-An old and de-
crepit man with lettering footsteps n
tered the West Thirthieth station house
at an early hour yesterday morning. An
unkempt white beard covered his face.
his clothing was threadbare and a siouch
hat but poorly protected his eyes from
the giittering gas jsts that burned on
the desk in front of the sergeant. The
old man looked timidly around the sta
house and then in o weak
and faltering voice said: "Will you
permit an old. broken down man to
shelter himself from the rain this night ?"
"What is your manner" asked the SER
geant.
Daniel mcfarland"
"That name sounds strangely familiar
said Bergeant Sheldon. .Where have /
heard it beforea"
"YOu read 1t IL years ago with the
rest of the world when that name ep-
peared in the columns of every news
paper in the land. If you think back
you will remember the Staying of Alfred
ID. Richardson in the Office of the New
York Tribune by Daniel Mcfarland. I
am Daniel Mcfarland, and / am now
tramping these CITY streets without u
place to rest my head"
The Mcfarland. Richardson murder
trial probably created a greater sensa-
tion than any trial of modern times. In
1863 Daniel mcfarland WAS an author
and writer for several OF the daily papers.
On the 25th day OF November, 1869,
two pistol shots rang out IN the count
ing room OF the New York Tribune,
Albert d. Richardson, an author and
playwright, dropped to the floor and
Daniel mcfarland, with o smoking
revolver In his hand, walked coolly out
OF the office into the street, and disap-
peared in the fast gathering crowd.
at 10 O'Clock that night Police Captain
Allalre arrested Daniel Mcfarland and
took him to the Aston house, where he
was identified by the dying man.
The trouble between the two men had
been accustomed by the suspicion OF Dam
lei Mcfarland of the relations existing
between his wife and his victim, Albert
D. Richardson. mcfarland and his wife
had lived unhappily together and finally
she left him.
This desertion preyed upon the mlnd
OF McFarland, and when he heard that
his wife had obtained Divorce from
him in. some obscure place in the west
he wandered through the streets in q
~trienzied condition. falling to recognize
his friends and evidently meditatiDg the
shooting OF Richardson.
Meanwhile his wife had gone on the
stage, but with poor success. Rlchard-
son fingered until the I'd OF December III
great agony, but before he died he was
married to Mrs. Mcfarland by the late
Rev. Henry Ward Beecher in room lis
the Astor house.
Mcfarland was tried before Recorder
Hackett, and was defended by John
Graham and Eibrldge tn Gerry, The
late Horace Greeley, Rev. Henry Ward
Beeoher, MIR. and Mrs. Samuel Sinclair,
john B. Elwood, Marx e. Pomeroy,
Mrs. George Vandeyhof. and many
others gave testimony. Mcfarland
was acquitted.
A reporter saw Mr.. Farland at the sta
ton hoase, md in reply to questions he
said:
lam broken down both in health and
spirits. and have nearly run my lease Of
life. / have managed to pick up o Ivy
ing by writing for the newspapers occa-
sionaily, but my band tasSloss Its QUINN